187 Countries Agree to Stricter Rules on Plastic Waste Trade

The United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland has announced a new deal, signed by almost all the world’s countries, that restricts shipping lower-quality plastic waste to developing countries – to better protect humans and the environment.

The deal is an amendment to the Basel convention – which establishes rules for shipping hazardous trash from developed countries to poorer ones – and will make plastic waste trade a lot more transparent.  All exporting countries will now have to seek government approval before shipping hard-to-recycled waste to less wealthy countries.

Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program compares plastic pollution to an “epidemic”, adding that the agreement is “historic” because countries will have to keep track of where plastic waste goes when leaving their borders. The new rules will take effect within one year.